接讀朋友的來信,尤其是遠自海外猶帶著異國風情的航空信件,如果無須回信的話,確是人生一大快事。回信,是讀信之樂的一大代價,久不回信,屢不回信,接信之樂必然就相對減少,以至于無,這時友情便暫告中斷了,直到有一天在贖罪的心情下,你毅然回起信來,蹉跎了這么久,接信之樂早變成欠信之苦,我便是這么一位累犯的罪人,交友干百,幾乎每一位朋友都數得出我的前科來。
Receiving friends’ letters, especially those exotic airmail letters from overseas, is absolutely a satisfaction in life, if you don’t have to write back. A letter in reply costs much of the pleasure of reading a letter. Not writing back in time or rarely writing back diminishes or eliminates the fun of receiving letters. Then, it means a temporary break of friendship, until one day you make up your mind to answer letters, impulsed by the mood of expiating. After so long a period of time, the fun of hearing from friends has turned itself into the suffering of owing them letters. I am such a “jailbird” that any of my numerous friends can obviously list my shameful records.